


An Apology

by TWriter



Series: To Fall or To Fly [11]
Category: Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Awkward Hugs, Dick is awake again, Not Voldemort level awkward, Scared!BatFam, also some not awkward hugs, but somewhat awkward, hurt!Dick, references to a past suicide attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-15 01:26:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7199792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWriter/pseuds/TWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick wakes up to see his family gathered around his bed once more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Apology

Tim could feel the waves of sorrow emanating from Jason as he descended the stairs to the cave. 

He looked toward the second Robin, and what he saw disturbed him more than anything. It was the face of a man with deeply felt pain, an openness that Jason had never allowed before. Tim had only ever seen the Jason angry, but the sight of yet more tears from his predecessor was a sign of all that was truly wrong with the events of the past few days. 

“Jay, are you all right?” asked Tim. He immediately regretted the question. The answer was obvious, but he didn’t know what else to say.

“Been better, Replacement,” the elder responded, moving to stand next to Dick. The eldest had not woken since he last spoke with Jason, and Jason began to wonder if it wasn’t better than feeling all the pain and sadness evident in those videos. 

Jason attempted to shake off such thoughts. It certainly wasn’t better for Dick to be unconscious, to be unaware of the world. Sure, the world was a wretched place, but it was better than nothingness. Or the nightmares brought on by sleep. 

Unconsciously, Jason ran his fingers through Dick’s hair, attempting to bring his thoughts back to the good of the man before him. 

The silence between the three birds was heavy, and the two awake began to grow uncomfortable. Tim stifled a chuckle. Usually, Dick filled the awkward silence the others fell so easily into. Tim never realized how much he relied on his oldest brother’s easy chatter until now. Normally, he found it a bit annoying after a while. But now, he only wished it would appear again, and fill the air along with the laugh he missed so much. 

As if summoned by Tim’s thoughts, Dick opened his eyes, blearily looking at the two next to him. Tim still sat in the chair Jason had left him with, while the other quickly removed the hand Dick felt in his hair. For the first time in a while, he felt a genuine smile appear on his lips. Good old Jason, concerned for his manly street cred.

Jason looked down at his brother, a smile of his own gracing his face. It was nice to see a sign of happiness from Dick, no matter how small. The sight of the crying man from the video from years ago, as well as the somber, accepting man of the most recent, haunted him. The versions from the video could almost be someone else, once you saw the smile light up Dick’s face.

“Hey, Big Bird, how are you feeling?” asked Jason.

“Could be worse, I suppose. Think you could—“ Dick’s request, whatever it was, was cut off by the feeling of a bundle of flesh launching itself at the bed. When he regained his breath, he found Tim, his arms wrapped around his older brother’s midsection as if he would never let go.

“I wanted to do this earlier, but it didn’t seem like the best time,” explained Tim, his voice muffled from pressing his face to Dick’s chest.

“Thanks, Timmy,” said Dick, his voice growing somber at the unintentional reminder of his argument with Bruce. He gently patted Tim’s hair. 

“Is Grayson awake?” called Damian, descending the stairs behind his father. He quickly passed the man, rounding the corner to see Tim still wrapped around Dick. “Really, Drake, stop your blubbering. It’s incredibly unbecoming for a Wayne, as Grayson insists you are.”

Tim glared at the youngest for a moment before standing back up. He was quickly replaced by Damian, who barely remained long enough to say, “I’m glad you aren’t dead, Grayson,” before returning back to his normal stance. Bruce remained in the doorway, unsure of how welcome he was. 

“Hey, Bruce,” said Dick.

The man cautiously made his way to his eldest son, carefully pulling him into an awkward hug.

“How’re you feel, chum?” asked the older man, after releasing his eldest.

“I’ve been better, to be honest,” replied Dick. He took a deep breath, preparing for what he needed to say next. “Listen, Bruce—“

“I owe you an apology,” interrupted Bruce. Dick closed his mouth, surprised at the proclamation. Bruce took a deep breath before continuing. “I was…wrong, and unnecessarily cruel earlier. It has been pointed out—from a fairly reliable source—that I have a tendency to attack that which I don’t understand, and the result was that I hurt you. I kicked you while you were down, and I am so incredibly sorry. I won’t pretend to understand what is going on in your head, but I will promise to help you in any way that I can.”

Bruce’s sons stared at him, until Dick broke the silence. “Alfred help you write that?”

“I assure you, Master Dick, that the sentiments are Master Bruce’s, even if the eloquence is mine,” called the butler from the doorway, carrying cup of soup. The boys laughed (even Bruce let out a chuckle), and Jason quickly helped Dick sit up, and the eldest bird took the mug with shaky hands, sipping carefully.

The laughs died away, and the family gathered around the bed of the man they almost lost. Things were nowhere near fixed, but as Dick sat amongst his pieced together family, he felt like it was a start. He was home.


End file.
